The undefeated Weidman (9-0) watched Silva’s dominance over the 185-pound division, while he worked his way up the ranks. Through all those training camps and workout sessions, the fight with Silva was what he was ultimately preparing for, and now the match-up is before him.

“I’ve been dreaming about this fight with Anderson Silva since I started MMA,” Weidman told UFC.com.

Silva is patient and methodical in his approach. One mistake and you’ve been caught in “The Spider’s” web.

“He makes you pay for any mistake you make. He’s opportunistic,” said Weidman. “Probably his biggest threat is his confidence. You make one mistake and he’s got you. He’s in there to win and so am I.”

Weidman feels that he’s a bad match-up for the champion, and believes Silva knows it.

“He’s a great champion for a reason, but he knows that I’m a really bad match-up and a tougher opponent than some people might understand,” he said. “I’m a pressure-paced fighter. I’m going to be walking forward and using my length and mixing it up between my takedowns and punches. I’m not going to be going backward too much.

“He’d be a fool not to respect me as a fighter,” added the 29-year-old challenger. “On July 6, when we step into that cage, he’s going to have respect for me.”